Los Angeles daily herald., 1887-03-13
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA WINES.
The Production Last Year Phe.
nOmeMally Large.

nOmeMally Large.
Major Ben. Truman, in his admirable
series of letters to the New York Times
on "Calfornia Wines" gives q very
interesting review of the growth Of the
wine industry in Southern California,
from which we quote:
THE VINTAGE OF 1886.
The vintage of the year just passed is
California wine industry. The weather,
although generally favorable most years,
proved particularly SO during 1886, as
there were no early or late frosts, no
heavy winds aud no unforeseen mishaps
to retard the development of the new
selections, while the vintners enjoyed
great success in their picking, crushing
and fermenting. The musts generally
indicated from % to 26 per cent. of sugar.
with well proportioned amounts of acids,
which give abundant promise, of course,
of development into excellent wines. l
am informed that the Zinfandels and
other clarets show remarkably ine
color, especially those that have been
planted by the leading viticulturists of
Los Angeles county, and that, so far as
they could see in the progress of manu-
facture, they were faultless in fermenta-
ton and in every other respect, and that
the cellar to-day represent finer selec.
ton and better fermented assort-
ment of young wines than at the close
of the preceding season. It is esti-
mated by good guessers whom have
met in the southern district that the
production of Los Angeles, San Bernar.
dino and San Diego will amount to
s, 200, 600 gallons, about one eighth of
which has already been or is being trans.
formed into brandy; and while some of
this wine has already been sold to Ital-
ians in New York, Louisiana and the
Northwestern States, and while much
has been turned into ports, sherries,
etc., still great proportion has been
made into clarets and white wines and
not an uncomfortable quantity has been
blended with grapes that are supposed
to be better adapted for table wines than
the Missions or even the Zinfandels.
FREEDOM FROM DISEASES AND PESTS.
So far in the history of grape cultiva.
tion in Southern California, it has been
com 2aratively free from all diseases and
pests; and couture or blight is hardly
known, except here and there, after
some violent climatic changes, such as
the tremendous and phenomenal rains
in Los Angeles, San Bernardino and San
Diego counties during the spring OF 1854,
but which were, through judicious
and careful pruning, prevented from do.
ing much harm, no vines having suffered
severely except the Musoatels. New
vines, however-which are often al
most entirely neglected and left to take
care of themselves-showed little couture
but considerable blight. Mildew, which
kills great many young vines in France
and in the Eastern States, or severely
retards development, has very little
alarm for the viticulturist of Southern
California, and is always easily checked
by little application of sulphur in the
spring, or at any time before the germs
are established. Sometimes, however,
when fogs prevail to greaI
extent, sulphate of lime has beer
found necessary in some instances, in
Southern California and in other por'
| IlOuS Ol tH0 OVutc, Juos % ~ ." 'SA ,
largely used in portions of Europe and
in other parts of the United States.
am informed that insect pests are preva.
lent some years, whereas there is an en-,
tire absence of all such things during
others. The army worm sometimes
makes his appearance and can only be got
ten rid of by the turkey, who is Away
willing to gobble him up. Even Pari
green, which is very dangerous, has failet
to eradicate this pest. 1t is said tina
this poison will knock The worm over
but that he will recover, while tn
remedy, or supposed remedy, oftel
reaches the fruit, and people are know
to have been poisoned. Still, none @
these pests have produced much anxiet
in the southern counties, while the ply
loxera is entirely unknown, partly b.
cause of the somewhat gravelly soil |
many vineyards, and partly becaus
} irrigation is carried on and submerges
/ If il exists.